BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 115 
Bill almost as long as the head, deeper than broad at the base, de- 
pressed towards the end, its breadth nearly equal in its whole length, 
being however a little enlarged towards the rounded tip. Upper man- 
dible with the dorsal line at first sloping, then nearly straight, on the 
unguis decurved, the ridge broad and flat at the base, suddenly nar- 
rowed over the nostrils, broader and convex towards the end ; the sides 
erect at the base, afterwards sloping and convex; the narrow mem- 
branous margins a little broader towards the end. Nostrils sub-basal, 
near the ridge, rather small, elliptical, pervious. Lower mandible 
flattened, straight, with the angle very long and rather narrow, the 
dorsal line very short, and slightly convex, the sides internally erect, 
with about a hundred and twenty lamellz. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck of moderate 
length, rather slender. Body full, depressed. Feet short, placed ra- 
ther far back ; tarsus short, compressed, at its lower part anteriorly 
with two series of scutella, the rest covered with reticulated angular 
seales. Toes with numerous scutella above ; first toe very small and 
with a narrow membrane beneath ; third longest, fourth about a quarter 
of an inch shorter; the anterior toes united by reticulated webs, of 
which the outer is deeply sinuate; claws small, curved, compressed, 
acute, the hind one smaller and more curved, that of the third toe 
largest, and with the inner margin sharp. 
Plumage dense, soft, and blended. Feathers of the head and neck, 
very small and slender, of the back and lower parts in general broad 
and rounded. Wings of moderate length, rather narrow and acute ; 
primaries strong, slightly curved, tapering, the first scarcely longer 
than the second, the rest rapidly decreasing; secondaries broad, the 
outer obliquely rounded, the inner elongated and acuminate, as are 
the scapulars. Tail short, rounded and acuminate, of fourteen rather 
narrow, acuminate feathers. 
Bill bluish-black. Iris dark hazel. Feet dull yellow, webs dusky, 
claws brownish-black, with the tips greyish-yellow. Upper part of the 
head black; a semilunar patch of pure white on the side of the head 
before the eye, margined before and behind with black. The rest of 
the head, and the anterior parts of the neck of a deep purplish-blue, 
with purplish-red reflections; the lower hind neck and fore part of 
back, brownish-black, glossed with green, each feather with a curved 
band of pale reddish-buff, and a line or band of the same in the centre ; 
H2 
